Take up careers in logistics, transport sector. Owusu-Fianko encourages women
Women have been encouraged to identify and take up careers in the logistics and transport sector to advance their status in the industry.
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That would also promote gender equality and participation of women in the mainstream global logistics and transport industry which is currently dominated by men.
The Regional Co-ordinator of Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT), Ghana, Dr Doreen Owusu-Fianko, made the call after a health walk organised by WiLAT, in commemoration of its sixth Global Founders’ Day anniversary in Accra last Saturday.
Under-representation
She said women were under-represented in the industry although they played a tremendous role in the Supply Chain, Logistics and Transport sectors and facilitating growth in the economy.
“When women come together we can achieve a lot. Women generally have challenges, that is why we need as many women as we can gather to become professionals in the logistics and transport industry,” she said.
The three-hour health walk, which started from the Aviation Social Centre through the 37 Roundabout, ended on the premises of the DC 10 Restaurants, near the Airport.
During the march, members of the association, who were joined by some of their male counterparts from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Ghana, danced to brass band music while some held a banner with a bold inscription of the name of the association on it.
WiLAT
WiLAT Ghana, which was launched on December 5, 2013, is the women’s wing of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Ghana, with members from the aviation, maritime, road, rail and logistics industries.
It is a member of the global WiLAT platform, which was formed in June 2010 with a mission to encourage the participation of women in the logistics and transport profession across the world, and to support their career development.
According to Dr Owusu-Fianko, who is a former Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Airports Company, WiLAT Ghana sought to develop a high-level strategic network of female members both active or retired, from the Logistics, Transportation, Freight Forwarding, Oil and Gas and the Supply Chain Management.
Apart from promoting the careers of women in the sector, Dr Owusu-Fianko said the association was to empower its members through education, networking and mentorship.
“We create awareness and enhance career opportunities for women in the industry with a view to driving change in industry through diversity. It is only a woman who can mentor another woman to make a positive contribution,” she said.
Education
Speaking in an interview, the President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Ghana, Mr Godwin Douglas Mensah, entreated women in the industry to embrace the opportunity provided by WiLAT to enhance their career development.
He said the institute existed to provide access to information sources in the sector to guide them on continuous professional development (CPD).
The institute has introduced courses and programmes in a number of tertiary educational institutions such as the Ghana Telecom University, Accra and Kumasi polytechnics, the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPS), Regional Maritime University and the Data Link University to train more people for the growing logistics and transport industry.